


Despite Your Faults

by LeChatRouge673



Series: Thea's Song [39]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Modern AU, Pre-Relationship, friendship fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:28:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26684443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeChatRouge673/pseuds/LeChatRouge673
Summary: Prompted by @roguelioness on Tumblr.
Series: Thea's Song [39]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/890931
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Despite Your Faults

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by @roguelioness on Tumblr.

“Thanks again for letting me come out for the summer, Bryce.”

Bryce Cousland glanced at Nathaniel, offering him a warm smile. “Of course, Nate. We are happy to have you. Besides, it is good for a boy your age to get to spend some time away from home, getting some new experiences. I spent many an exciting holiday at camp or staying with relatives during the summer breaks. I am just sorry your first day here will be a rainy one.” He pulled into the drive leading up to the Cousland’s home estate in Highever, where Cat and Thea were waiting on the front porch.

Nathaniel’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Cat’s gentle smile brighten as he opened the car door. There were any number of reasons why he had been excited to spend his summer in Highever: being away from his father and brother, for one. Getting to spend time with his best friend, Thea, was another perk. But Cat… Cat was special. He had spent more time than he should ever admit to picking out his outfit for today; certainly more care than he did on a day to day basis, purposely wearing the band t-shirt she had once said she liked a lot.

“Nate!”

Thea bounded off the steps, a rare show of enthusiasm from the normally cynical and reserved little girl. Their friendship had been entirely unexpected, and a lifeline for Nathaniel in a way that still surprised him. He absolutely adored her, and he knew she had been looking forward to his visit nearly as much as he was. Which was why he had to imagine she either did not notice or gleefully ignored the mud puddle that was between him and her.

He _knew_ she did not mean to splatter him with mud. Nor could she have known has long he had agonized over what to wear for this first day of his visit, or how much he had hoped to catch Cat’s eye even though he was still puzzling out _why_. But none of those thoughts overrode his initial irritation.

“Maker’s breath, Thea,” he snapped, “This is my favorite shirt!”

Thea froze, inches away from him, arms still frozen mid-embrace, and Nathaniel felt a twinge of guilt in his heart as he saw her face fall. She stood there for a moment, then without another word she turned around and ran off towards the forest.

“Thea!” He called after her. “Thea, come back! I didn’t mean-”

“It’ll be alright, Nate,” Bryce said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get you inside and cleaned up, ok?”

Nate nodded, following Bryce up the stairs to where Cat was waiting. She reached out and squeezed his hand, a sweet smile still on her lips. “I owe you a proper hug, but perhaps we should wait until we’ve had a chance to wash your shirt. I do love that one and I would hate to let the stain set in.”

Everything else was forgotten as her hand held his, brief as it was, and Nathaniel was practically floating when he entered the house. Eleanor emerged from the kitchen, took one look at him, and gave a small laugh. “Let me guess: Thea?”

Nate gave a slightly sheepish shrug. “Yeah.”

“She has been over the moons excited for your visit,” Eleanor noted. “We were thrilled you were able to come out. It has been so nice to see Thea make a friend.”

He felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over him but did not have a chance to respond before Eleanor spoke up again. “Here, toss me your shirt, dear. I can get that mud out quick as you like, and in the meantime you can wear one of Bryce’s old tees.”

“Thanks Eleanor.” Nathaniel handed over the shirt, telling himself the shiver that ran through his body was the result of the sudden lack of covering rather than the fact Cat’s attention was intently focused on him in the process. “But maybe I should go check on Thea?”

“Seems like a good idea,” Bryce agreed, handing over one of his own old shirts. “I am not crazy about her staying out in the rain like this, and she is too stubborn to come back on her own. She probably went to the bear cave.”

Nathaniel nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I’ll go check on her and… and apologize.”

Bryce gave him a smile and a warm squeeze on his shoulder as Nathaniel dashed briefly upstairs to Thea’s bedroom. He immediately found what he was looking for: her beloved Teddy Bear, a gift he had given her that spring for her ninth birthday. As it was still pouring rain outside, he also retrieved the bear’s rain slicker and little rubber boots before they both headed out into the rain.

The ‘bear cave’ was not really a cave at all: it was more an overhang of rocks that created a small hollow that was ideal for sheltering from the rain or for standing in as a pirate’s treasure cove or a dragon’s lair. They had found it that spring when they were exploring the forest together, and Thea had promptly christened it the bear cave. And sure enough, as Nathaniel approached, he saw his best friend huddled up in the cave, her knees pulled up against her chest and her head buried in her arms. Nathaniel sat down beside her, offering her Teddy first. Thea quickly grabbed the bear before promptly hiding her face again.

“Please don’t hurt me,” she mumbled.

“Thea, I would never,” he promised, tentatively reaching an arm out and wrapping it around her shoulders. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. It was dumb.”

“…my fault,” she replied, her voice still muffled, but she shifted closer and let her head rest against his shoulder. “Should’ve watched for the puddles. I know better.”

“Hey, I get it: at least you did it on accident. You don’t even want to know what happened when I was playing in the mud on purpose and ruined Delilah’s favorite play dress. Dad grounded me for two weeks. If it had been Thomas I’d upset it would have been a solid month.”

“Yeah, but your dad is the worst,” Thea snorted, and Nathaniel just sighed. He knew Thea hated his father and, based on the way the man treated her, he could not exactly blame her.

“Thea, I love you to pieces, you know that,” he continued, “And I’m really happy we get to spend the summer together.”

“And with Cat,” she pointed out with a small, knowing grin, and Nathaniel felt his cheeks grow warm.

“Well, yeah, of course with Cat,” he replied, trying to sound nonchalant. “We’ll have fun. But maybe we should go back inside? I am pretty sure your aunt was making cookies when I got here. Bet they’re cooled off by now.”

Thea stood up, clutching Teddy in one arm before offering him her free hand. He accepted it, and she helped him up. He kept a hold of her hand as they walked back towards the house, the rain finally letting up slightly.

“I’m glad you’re here, Nate,” she finally spoke up again. “And thanks for remembering Teddy’s rain things. He hates getting his fur wet, you know.”

Nathaniel laughed.

“Naturally.”


End file.
